The Road
by bradp521
Summary: Zauriel and Spectre come to Batman on Christmas Eve with an assignment.


Bruce Wayne sat before the powerful computers in the Batcave, getting one final update on the weather conditions and the night's forecast before heading out on patrol. Gotham City had never been mistaken for a winter wonderland, but that didn't mean the temps didn't get downright bone-chilling in late December.

He had just pulled his cowl up into place when he heard a sound behind him, and he turned to see the Spectre and Zauriel standing in the cave with him.

"Bruce Wayne, you are needed," intoned the Spectre. "Come with us."

Batman's eyes narrowed, and he said, "I'm needed in Gotham. You know that this city is always my priority."

"The choice is not yours to make," the Spectre replied. "You have been chosen by a power even greater than my own."

Zauriel interjected, "Batman, we know how fiercely you defend the innocents of this city. But there is another, in another time, who is in need of your protection. If you wish, you can be returned to this point in time when the mission is complete, so you need not choose between the two. The mission at hand, however, is of great importance, and if it is not completed successfully, Gotham City's very existence may be in jeopardy."

Batman merely grunted in assent and walked over to the angel and the avenging spirit. Without another word, all three vanished from the cave without leaving a trace.

* * *

The three figures reappeared on a hilltop over looking a deserted road. It was nighttime, and the sky was clear, with an abundance of stars in view. After looking in all directions and taking in his surroundings, Batman said, "There's nobody here. What is it you need me for?"

With a wave of his hand, a saddled horse appeared and the Spectre handed the reins to Batman before saying, "You need to keep this road safe from bandits and any other threats that might come to pass."

"And for that, you need to drag me out of Gotham?

"This road is of greater significance than its appearance would suggest," replied Zauriel.

"All will be clear in time, Bruce Wayne," answered the Spectre. "We must be off. We will return for you at midnight." He disappeared, but before Zauriel could follow suit, Batman placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What is it I'm doing here, Zauriel?" he asked. "I'd think an angel could take care of this situation with his eyes closed, and without my help. What aren't you telling me?"

Zauriel turned back to him and said, "We will be ... otherwise occupied." Then he was gone as well.

With a sigh, Batman climbed into the saddle, and then he began to do what came naturally: patrolling the area. He had not gone far when something flashed in the moonlight beyond the next rise. Slowing his horse, he moved closer until he was looking down on a couple of men hiding behind a small tree.

He slipped out of the saddle and moved silently until he could see the men more clearly. Dressed in shabby robes, the two men spoke softly to each other. One of them was watching the road, and the other was stropping a pair of knives. A pair of batarangs flew quickly through the night sky, and before the men could react, Batman was on top of them. A powerful fist took down the lookout, and a well-placed boot rendered his companion equally unconscious.

A quick examination revealed that the thieves' robes were stained with splotches of blood, and around their waists, the two men carried bags of gold, silver, and various jewels. Finding a pair of mules tied nearby, he took the ropes that held the mules and tied the two men to trees, tightly enough to keep them out of trouble, but loose enough that, if nobody found them in a couple days, they'd be able to work themselves free. Satisfied with his work, Batman gave one last look around before returning to his horse and continuing to go back and forth along the lonely road.

After about an hour, he cocked his head, and listened intently. The sound of a large number of horses reached him, very faintly at first, but growing steadily. Batman moved off the road itself and concealed himself in a small grove of trees where he could watch. In a relatively short length of time, he saw a large number of soldiers on horseback. He was not close enough to be able to understand what they were saying to one another, but a look at their faces through his binoculars told him that they were not on any kind of mercy mission. He thought for a moment before riding about a mile ahead of them as quickly as he could. He removed a small speaker from his utility belt and placed it in the uppermost branches of a tree before moving back about 50 yards and waiting.

As the contingent of soldiers drew near, he pulled a control from his belt, pointed it in the direction of the speaker, and suddenly, the air was alive with the sound of a roaring lion. The soldiers stopped sharply, looking around them for the source of the sounds, then, after some hasty conversation, they drew swords and moved forward again, albeit more slowly.

Over the next hour, he repeated the ruse to direct the soldiers first one way and then another. Then he moved behind them, and gave them another roar. At that, the commander of the unit barked orders to the men, who quickly split into two groups, one which left the road to the left, and one which left the road to the right. A final roar, and both groups began to pick up speed until they were out of sight. Batman allowed himself a brief smile as he retrieved the speaker from its final perch, and then moved on down the road.

There was little else to do in the course of the night. A few wild animals were directed another way, and those that would not be swayed were given a dose of sleeping gas that would ensure their slumber for a good 12 hours. Other than that, he saw nothing that appeared to pose a threat of any kind.

Suddenly, the Spectre and Zauriel appeared next to him. "You have done well," the Spectre said. "We will return you to your proper time and place now."

"Wait," Batman said. "Before we return, tell me why I was here."

"These are details we are not free to speak of," said Zauriel. "However, as a gifted detective, I am confident you can draw the necessary inferences from what you see." With that, he gestured down the road, and from their hidden spot, Batman was able to see something coming down the road. He lifted the binoculars to his eyes, and saw a man leading a donkey. There was a shrouded figure on the donkey, but a quick increase in magnification revealed that it was a woman. They moved slowly down the road, then they paused for a moment. The man was speaking softly and tenderly to the woman, and reached out to place his hand on her belly. Batman zoomed in the lenses more, and saw that the woman was clearly very pregnant. After a moment, they continued until they passed the spot where Batman, Zauriel, and the Spectre watched.

"Enough," said the Spectre softly, and suddenly, Batman found himself sitting not on a horse on a lonely desert road but in his chair in front of the Batcomputer. Shaking his head, he looked at the time. Oddly enough, he had managed to have a very vivid dream in a very short amount of time. He reached out, and the carafe that Alfred had brought to fill his coffee thermos was still warm. He stood up and began to move toward the Batmobile, until he noticed that he was leaving a trail behind him. Of sand that was shaking loose from his boots and cape.

He thought for a moment, and then he changed into his normal Manor clothes. As he emerged from the cave, Alfred looked up with surprise.

"Master Bruce, have you decided not to patrol tonight?" he asked.

"Not sure, Alfred, but I think I've already patrolled enough," Bruce replied. Glancing at his watch, he asked, "Is there still time to get to the Christmas Eve midnight vigil at Gotham Cathedral?"


End file.
